There wasn’t much time for fun. I flew into London City Airport, attended the convention all day, ate food with a friend, went to the convention the next day, and flew back out of Heathrow. I’d call it a whirlwind trip to London but since I got a chance to eat great food and meet an old friend, I’d also call it a great success. My whole trip is here on TTL.

Next week, I’m travelling to Berlin but I’m planning to do some more sightseeing and writing, so stay tuned! My ITB Berlin Trip is also online, so you can follow the updates of my plans there. That’s it for now!

It’s time to start planning for my trip to London! I’m heading there later this month to attend Travel Technology Europe. I hope to learn about the latest with the travel industry and maybe make some contacts while I’m there. If all else fails, there’s always food! I won’t be eating at cafes this time – I’m thinking curry on this trip!

We finally published the trip widget feature on Travel to Live, which allows you to insert custom maps into your blog. I’m pretty excited about it because I don’t need to take static screenshots of my trips anymore. Now I can just insert the whole trip into my post. Pretty cool.

Unfortunately, it’s only available on the paid or self-hosted versions of WordPress, so you can see what it would look like here.

There’s what I’ve got planned so far in London. Maybe there’ll be more by the time you are reading this! That’s the cool thing about it: it’s a living trip, embedded into your blog. Go ahead and click on any points to go to the site and see more. Find out how to insert your own trip widget on your blog.

As you can see, I’ll be flying into the London City airport and then out of Heathrow. I’ve never been to either, so it’ll be a new experience. Previously, I’ve only flown Ryanair to London, so I always came via Stanstead – what an awful experience! This time, I’m flying with British Airways.

Jelena won’t be along for the trip, so I’m staying in a hostel. I hope to meet some people there and ask them what they think about Travel to Live. You can also follow my London trip there or here. In fact, my blog now shows on the site as well, under my profile. Neat, eh?

Probably the most alluring part of Vienna is the abundance of Viennese Cafes. Many tourists in Europe or all over the world spend their time frantically dashing from one hotspot to another, always stressed that they won’t fit in everything they dreamed of seeing. Vienna is a different sort of city. Vienna is about culture and relaxation. Of course, that isn’t to say that Vienna doesn’t offer stunning architecture or a plethora of interesting museums. But there’s no pressure to see it all, when the best part of being in Vienna is just taking your time to sip your tea and read a book.

During my recent Vienna trip, I had the opportunity to visit several of these cafes, so I thought I’d summarize my experiences here. Maybe it will help you decide which cafes in Vienna are right for you.

Cafe Central

I’ve been to Cafe Central twice in my life, once in 2010 for a relaxed drink with my mother and the second time during my recent trip with my wife. They were two very different but excellent experiences.

In 2010, my mother and I were looking for a place in the afternoon to sit down and relax, to have a drink and read the paper. It wasn’t a busy holiday season and we arrived after the lunch crowd was gone, so the place was quiet and easygoing. We could take our time with our drinks, read the paper, and take in the atmosphere of this historic cafe.

Of course, Cafe Central is famous for being an important meeting place of the Viennese intellectual elite. In 1913, Tito, Freud, Hitler, Lenin and Trotsky all visited Cafe Central. With its grand ceilings and central location among Viennese political buildings, you can really feel that this cafe is some place special.

The trip with my wife was something entirely different, yet still was a wonderful experience. We went in early December, when the Christmas crowds weren’t yet at their height but when the city was clearly taking on extra visitors with each passing day. We decided to go to Cafe Central for lunch.

We were worried for a few minutes, upon entering the front door, that we wouldn’t get a nice seat, as the restaurant was completely full. After a little patience, we were actually seated at a wonderful table. To be honest, almost every table in this cafe could be described as wonderful. There are only a few extra tables obviously added to increase capacity, which would not be nice for more than one person to sit at, much less eat at.

I decided on the Schnitzel and my wife the liver. For the most famous cafe in Vienna, the prices were quite reasonable, if you know the price of a Wiener Schnitzel. Normally, you pay about 20€ for a proper Wiener Schnitzel (made from veal) and that’s about what we paid in Cafe Central. The Schnitzel came with some delicious boiled potatoes. We both enjoyed our meals thoroughly.

So whether you’re just looking to have a quiet drink or you’d like to treat yourself to a nice lunch, I can wholeheartedly recommend Cafe Central.

Pluses: great atmosphere, okay prices for a fancy place

Minuses: can be very full at busy times, especially in the holiday season; not relaxing during busy times

Cafe Landtmann

Cafe Landtmann is another central and historic choice of Viennese cafes. Sigmund Freud visited this cafe regularly and it has long served as a meeting place for leading politicians, thinkers, and artists. Lavishly decorated, Landtmann doesn’t offer a relaxing atmosphere and has been completely full every time I’ve tried to visit. In fact, the one time I managed to get a table, in 2010, was for breakfast, where my mother and I took one of the only remaining tables. Breakfast was good but the prices were a little high.

We only managed to sit outside, which is a very nice experience in the summer. In the winter, the outside area is enclosed in a very ugly temporary addition to the building. If you go during a busy time, be prepared to be seated somewhere that does not match the atmosphere you expected to experience on your way there.

Overall, Landtmann gives the impression of a stop for the experience of having been to such an historic location but isn’t really the place for the typical Viennese cafe goer. Look in the window, walk in the door, but move on and find a different cafe if there’s nowhere to sit.

Pluses: impressive atmosphere, located among some of Vienna’s most beautiful architecture

Minuses: always full, not cheap, not relaxing

Cafe Tirolerhof

Only a little less central than Central and Landtmann, Cafe Tirolerhof is quite well located in the historic centre of Vienna. The building is not as grand as the aforementioned cafes and could do with some repair but this actually serves to make it more cozy and inviting. Tirolerhof was still quite busy each time we went but somehow it all faded into the background and didn’t cause any disruption.

The service in Tirolerhof is a little more curt than the others and you won’t receive a paper bill at all but if you aren’t in a rush and aren’t a high maintenance customer, there won’t be any problems. Feel free to spend hours reading the papers from around the world, as you drink your coffee or sip your tee. Don’t forget to order some Kaiserschmarrn. Theirs is quite tasty.

We enjoyed Cafe Tirolerhof so much that we came back multiple times during our week in Vienna. It can also be busy, like all centrally-located cafes in Vienna, but it’s a better bet than Cafe Central and Cafe Landtmann, so put it on your list. For a relaxed atmosphere with tasty desserts, I highly recommend Cafe Tirolerhof!! My only major gripe is that there is no wireless Internet connection available. You can try to mooch off of a neighbouring connection but service is spotty.

Pluses: relaxed, great desserts, lots of newspapers to read

Minuses: the window sill was wet, so some repairs need to be done; no wifi!!

Cafe Sperl

Getting out of the centre and looking for a cafe with more real people brought us to Cafe Sperl. This cafe may not be as famed as the others and may not look as spectacular but we actually found that much better. With a little darker lighting and a more out of the way location, Cafe Sperl has a much more relaxed atmosphere. There are plenty of newspapers to read and nice tables to sit at. You’ll have more of a chance to find a seat here. We also went to Cafe Sperl multiple times during our stay in Vienna.

My only major gripe is in the dessert selection. They have several different cakes, if that’s your thing, but I was hoping for other types of desserts, like pastries. At any rate, if you’re looking for a decent Sachertorte or Gugelhupf, Cafe Sperl is your place. Although we didn’t order food, everything we saw on other people’s plates peaked our interest. Sadly, we never made it for lunch but I bet it’s great.

If you’re looking for somewhere the locals go to, with a more relaxed atmosphere and less tourist fuss, I can recommend Cafe Sperl to you.

Pluses: relaxed, cozy, great prices

Minuses: less dessert selection

Cafe Francais

Cafe Francais is not one of the typical Viennese cafes but that may not be a bad thing. When we went, this more modern cafe was filled with locals, many of whom were students. With the Votivkirche nearby, if you are doing the tourist thing, don’t forget to check out this great neo-Gothic church!

We went to Cafe Francais looking for lunch. We had walked by earlier and peeked in the windows. What we saw was enough to convince us to come back! Well, we weren’t disappointed. What you’ll find here is decent food at good prices and in large quantities. Cafe Francais isn’t a place you go to treat yourself or discuss the plight of the working class. It’s where real people go to eat real food and live their real lives.

The salad on the left is what my wife took. She asked the waitress beforehand if it would be enough as a main meal. Turns out there was nothing to worry about. It could have fed her twice over! Service here was friendly and we comfortably sat for a couple hours. The table was reserved after 3pm but it was no problem for us, since we only wanted to eat. Come here if you’re looking for a good meal but don’t expect the old fashioned atmosphere.

Pluses: great food, large portions, fair prices, good service, real people

Minuses: not the typical cafe for relaxing (may not be a minus for you)

Cafe Residenz

Located on the grounds of Schloß Schönbrunn, Cafe Residenz is certainly surrounded by beauty and history. With a large park and a public swimming pool nearby, you might think this would be the ideal cafe. It’s certainly well located and I can recommend it if you’re on the tourist trail but that’s what it is – a tourist stop.

This isn’t the place to relax and read the paper. It’s a place to try some famous Viennese delicacies, like Apfelstrudel. The food is good but the prices are a little higher, as you might expect of the cafe next to the Hapsburg’s palace. If you’re looking for somewhere to rest after checking out Schönbrunn, by all means, stop by Cafe Residenz. But don’t go out of your way!

Pluses: convenient location if you’re already at Schönbrunn Palace, good selection of the classic desserts

Minuses: for tourists, higher prices, not really an example of Viennese cafes

Cafe Hawelka

Sadly, we never made it into Cafe Hawelka, even though it was on our list. The original owner was greeting people at the door until his death 2011, so like many famous Viennese cafes, Hawelka comes with an interesting history. My wife had bad service there last time she was in Vienna and because it was too full during the holiday season, we skipped it and went back to Tirolerhof. Maybe we’ll check it out next time.

My favourite Viennese Cafes

It’s hard to say which cafes are the best because it comes down to why you’re going and what you enjoy. My top favourites are Cafe Central, Cafe Tirolerhof, and Cafe Sperl. Central just can’t be beat for atmosphere but may not be the most relaxing place during busy times. The food is excellent, so it’s a great choice for a meal. Tirolerhof has a nice atmosphere, is great for relaxation and has excellent desserts but sadly lacks Internet access! You’ll find a seat at Sperl much easier, won’t have to deal with tourists, and can relax as long as you like – I only wish there was a more varied dessert selection.

I hope you enjoyed my selection of Viennese cafes. Let me know in the comments what your experiences were! Maybe you can also plan your next Vienna trip on Travel to Live.

Today was our last day in Vienna. We’re heading home on the train tomorrow at 9:30am. The connection in Salzburg will be tight; there are only 8 minutes to switch trains, so let’s hope the train from Vienna isn’t delayed. It’s been a great trip.

We set out this morning to take a look at Rochusmarkt, a local farmer’s market in Vienna. I immediately noticed how much warmer it was today – 9 degrees! Along the way, we got off the subway to try to look inside of Karlskirche. Sadly, it seemed to be closed on all sides, except for the paid visits to the look-out tower. I would have liked to take a look inside but maybe they reserve it for people who are paying to go to the concerts. Still, I took another good look at the façade and noticed some details I hadn’t seen before.

We continued on to the Rochusmarkt, which didn’t turn out to be too exciting. We’ve noticed the local markets in Vienna seem to have a lot of chain snack shops, probably a result of high costs for booths. I wanted some Christmas cookies but the prices were highway robbery, so I guess we didn’t do our part to ensure their survival. We moved on, in search of lunch.

Cafes everywhere

We had decided on Cafe Francais. We walked by it a few days ago and Jelena read up on it, finding only high praise and great reviews. We weren’t disappointed. While Jelena was unsure whether her salad would be enough, I decided to go for the club sandwich, a straightforward and solid choice at any restaurant. The plates arrived and we were shocked. The club sandwich could feed two and the salad was an entire meal. This is a cafe that you can imagine normal people going to. The prices were alright and it’s across from the university. Indeed, most tables were occupied by students.

I wouldn’t rate the food as exquisite but that wasn’t the point. Cafe Francais is a solid choice, good food for a normal price. I wouldn’t go to Cafe Central every day but Cafe Francais is somewhere you could easily frequent. Before we sat down, the waitress looked rather worried and informed us that we could only have the table until 3pm. We were worried until we checked the time, seeing it was only 1pm. A paltry two hours is nothing in the Viennese cafe culture but we were only there for lunch, so it was more than enough!

With time to spare, we decided to keep the cafe train rolling and made for the exit. First we decided to peek inside the Votivkirche. We’ve seen it on days past and I wanted a closer look, since we liked the neo-Gothic architecture. There are nice stained glass windows on the inside, as you’d expect from a beautiful, old European church. We helped ourselves to an odd Geocache across the street, my first and only Austrian Geocache. This one was “hidden” underneath the telephone in a phone booth. Jelena discovered it but we decided not to sign the “log”, since we’d have had to lie on the ground in broad daylight and appear to deface a phone booth.

The next cafes

We made our way through the Rathausplatz Christmas market again, on the way to check out Cafe Landtmann. It was still complete chaos, so we kept moving toward Cafe Hawelka but we ended up skipping that for another known favourite, Cafe Tirolerhof. We knew that one was great and hoped it would be less hectic.

We’ve noticed the number of people in Vienna has steadily increased over the week and today was definitely the peak. There were people everywhere on the streets and Tirolerhof was no exception. No sooner had we made it through the door when hordes of tourists came in behind us, pushing past and looking for available seats. Luckily, a nice couple was just leaving from, perhaps, the best table in the whole place, and kindly offered it to us.

Kaiserschmarrn made an encore, alongside tea and coffee, as we relaxed into our now daily tradition. Unfortunately, the Internet connection is not so great in Tirolerhof, so I was forced to play Crusader Kings II, a cool historical strategy game about European conquest. You can imagine I was pretty upset. Jelena read her papers as usual. We talked a little politics as well.

When it was time for us to go, I noticed a couple was just discovering the saddest looking and only available table. I saw the chance to balance our karma and quickly pulled them over to our table, returning the favour that was bestowed upon us when we arrived. They were very grateful. I really think it was the best table!

One last Christmas market

Jelena saw a bowl she was interested in when we were at the Schönbrunn Christmas market, so we planned to finish off the evening by seeing that market at night. I’m really glad we did. It was really beautiful at night, with all the lights and the tree.

But the best part was that they had a live choir, singing Christmas songs! I need to educate Jelena on Christmas songs but I guess she didn’t grow up with them and can’t have the same appreciation. Still, we could both appreciate the ambient sound of a live choir singing as we browsed the market. It was a great way to cap off our trip, Vienna being known for its music.

Well, we’re just eating a late night snack and then packing up to head home. What a delicious and wonderful trip. Only one last gorging remains – my birthday is on Sunday! Then it’s time to bring the diet under control.

Day 6 was a mix of the old and the new. It was a day of Cafes and Christmas markets – and, of course, FOOD! Another lazy morning faced a serious crisis due to my mismanagement of our bread supplies. Luckily, we bought eggs yesterday and supplemented our sorry stash with some hard-boiled eggs. The successful traveler always needs to be ready with a backup plan and that starts at breakfast!

Day 6 on Travel to Live

Winter in Vienna

Winter is not when Vienna is at its most beautiful. Every park we’ve been too has been a desolate wasteland. The structures are ornate and grand but, as one might expect from a snow-less city, all plant life is dead and laid bare for all to see. So we were underwhelmed by the Stadtpark (city park) and quickly made our way to the other end. Our pace was hurried by an unexpectedly cold day; today was supposed to be much warmer! Sadly, the sun betrayed us and never showed its face.

But winter in Vienna can still be great because of the strong cafe culture. What better way to pass a cold and depressing day than inside, sipping your tea? We made our way to Cafe Central to have lunch and warm up. We weren’t completely sure that it’d be open, since Austrians celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception today. Well, everybody needs a reason to celebrate in the winter, so I won’t rob them of that.

Cafe Central was packed but we only had to wait 5 minutes for a table. We braced for an awful spot but ended up with quite a good location. As soon as I opened the menu, I knew what I wanted and seized the chance to get a proper Wiener Schnitzel. After all, I’ve got to compare pork and veal, right? To complete the suffering of the baby cows, Jelena took the Kalbsleber (liver from the baby cow). That poor baby cow did not die in vain.

The meals were excellent and I can happily say this was a truly great Schnitzel, even better than Figlmüller’s from yesterday. I’d recommend Cafe Central any day, especially because the price difference was small and potatoes came with it. I was disappointed you couldn’t order tap water but the Apfelschorle was tasty, so I’m not complaining. Of course, I knew it’d be good, since I scouted this location out with my mom back in 2010 – another great Vienna trip!

The cafe crawl continues

Although Cafe Central looks and feels incredible, it was too hectic at lunch time to relax and hang out, so we decided to move on to greener pastures. We thought we’d swing by Cafe Landtmann to peek in the window but they were similarly overrun by customers. We’re considering giving it another shot tomorrow. I had a nice breakfast at Landtmann with my mom last time I was in Vienna. Next time, I’d like to try their desserts!

Well Jelena really enjoyed Cafe Sperl, so we retraced our steps to an old favourite and claimed the last table in the joint. After a light but good breakfast and a mouthwatering and exceptional lunch, it was time to reward ourselves with a little bit of cake. Jelena took the Sachertorte this time, while I took the Gugelhupf. Despite the funny name, this was a solid choice for a plain cake eater like me. This is my idea of a cake – no jam or nuts or other radical ingredients to get in the way of the enjoyment of sugar.

As we sipped our tea, Jelena read 2 different newspapers, while I organized some Travel to Live administrative work and did some social networking. The Viennese cafe culture is truly a great one. I’m glad we have Cafe Maldaner back home, but, somehow, I doubt they have wireless Internet access. Few locations in Germany do. I’m going to miss Austria!

Topping it all off

With our tea and cake long gone, we decided to move on home, so we could drop off our things and head to the Christmas market. We wanted to wait until the evening, so we could enjoy the lights and nighttime atmosphere of the market. Karlskirche is truly a sight to behold; it’s my personal favourite church in Vienna and was where my mom and I attended a classical music concert back in 2010.

The Christmas market was busy but not too crazy. We first enjoyed a freshly baked pastry covered in sugar, before descending upon the sausage stand. We took lamb sausages with freshly baked flatbread to finish off the night. Delicious! Jelena also found herself a new mug while we perused the items on offer at this market. Having accomplished our goals, we headed home for some rest and a little work.

Of course, you didn’t think we were done eating yet, did you? No, when we arrived home, we put on the kettle and ate some more of the tasty cookies we bought back on day 3. Another great day at an end. Food success record still undefeated (knock on wood). Tomorrow‘s our last full day in Vienna. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store!

Today began much like the previous days, eating bread and salami, making our way slowly out into the world. The chili salami I bought yesterday turned out to be yummy but Jelena found it too spicy. We started the day by checking out some shops. First, we looked in a local organics shop for some whole milk powder but came up empty. Next, we went to Xocolat, an overpriced specialty chocolate shop with a wide range of different chocolate options. Jelena was really excited and bought a few things there. I thanked the God of Chocolate that he did not decide to open such a shop in Wiesbaden.

After exploring a little, it was time to head over to Figlmüller’s, the supposed home of the best Schnitzel in Vienna. I’d read not just reviews but also random blogs people had posted, in an effort to determine if it was really true. Even the guy who owns our Airbnb claimed this was the place to go, even if it was a bit touristy. Well, the Schnitzel was undoubtedly delicious and huge but I’d be surprised if there weren’t comparably tasty Schnitzels all over town. I’ve certainly tasted similarly mouthwatering Schnitzels before.

Where I felt let down was with the sides. The potatoes were clearly cooked a while ago and the salad was good but too expensive. In the end, we didn’t spend too much because we shared the giant Schnitzel, so I can’t really complain. I also wouldn’t complain anyway because the meal was excellent, due to the good salad and great Schnitzel. I’d say this was another success, only that I wouldn’t recommend bothering with this tourist stop. Find your delicious Schnitzel elsewhere!

The eating procession continues outside

The day didn’t turn out as cold as predicted, so we explored some more of the city. We ended up at the Christmas market outside the city hall and took the chance to explore the dozens of booths. I often find it disappointing how overpriced everything is at Christmas markets. You end up buying nothing because you feel it’s all a scam. Well, we finally came upon a booth with some reasonably priced cookies and picked various ones to sample. We munched on those as we continued our exploration of the city. Yum.

After consuming our cookies and gorging our eyes on extravagant imperial architecture, we started to make our way toward the next cafe Jelena wanted to try, Cafe Sperl. Similar to Tirolerhof, it is a nice, relaxed cafe with an older, cozy interior. Jelena took the house special cake (Sperl Schokoschnitte) and I had the Sachertorte.

Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the Sachertorte, because it’s got that vile jam in it. I’m a chocolate lover but a jam hater. Jelena says I need to broaden my horizons but my continued well being demands I don’t finish this sentence. The tea was good and Jelena enjoyed her cake but wished she had ordered the Sachertorte. Well, there’s still time left for more cake eating and we plan to go to another cafe tomorrow.

Cafe Jelena

After several hours at the cafe, reading and working a little on Travel to Live, we decided to pack up and do some little grocery shopping for dinner. We had some leftover cheese and vegetables I brought from Wiesbaden (it’d have spoiled otherwise), so Jelena threw that together with eggs and leftover bread, which we toasted.

We both thought that it turned out to be really flavourful and delicious. With an uninterrupted string of great eating, the pressure was high and Cafe Jelena delivered. We were very satisfied with our dinner.

Our plans for tomorrow aren’t set in stone but we’d like to go to another cafe and to visit a huge Christmas market by Karlsplatz in the evening. We don’t know yet what we’re going to eat but I’m confident it will be amazing.

Today’s the day – we finally made it to Zu den 3 Buchteln and got a table. But much like one of those TV shows that annoyingly shows the ending first, before going back to 1 day earlier, you’re first going to have to read about our adventures on day 4.

After eating some bread from a local bakery and that strange salami from yesterday, we set out for Schloss Belvedere. We quickly discovered today was a lot colder than days past but it was about to get much, much worse. Belvedere also has a Christmas market but it’s definitely not comparable to Schönbrunn’s. However, I spotted some chili salami for 2,30€ and couldn’t resist. I’m excited about trying it tomorrow!

We set about exploring the grounds and taking photos. That’s when we noticed it was even colder than we thought. There was one of those cold, terrible winds and the grounds of Belvedere are all open and exposed. It’s a wonder we managed to take any pictures at all because our fingers were ready to freeze and snap right off. What a coward I’ve become in the face of cold. I am a Canadian in name only. After circling the grounds, we made a discrete exit and b-lined it for the restaurant.

False start

We crossed town as quickly as possible, trying to hide from the wind, fearing every corner would bring another cold gust of torture. You can see from the 3km mark that I did a half-decent job of getting us there as quickly as possible. I’m actually getting the hang of our little area of Vienna and quite like the area we chose to “live” in.

Fingers freezing, noses running, we finally made it to the restaurant, ready for our much deserved lunch. There was just one little problem, which I had morbidly joked about along the way: Zu den 3 Buchteln opens at 6pm. It was just past 1! My God, why have you forsaken me? Luckily, we had been in this situation before and had earlier considered the Thai place across the street. Jelena had low expectations but with empty stomachs and broken spirits, our options were limited: we cautiously entered Thai Kitchen.

Happy surprises

We each took a lunch menu. Jelena thought about eating a soup but since we had decided to go to Zu den 3 Buchteln for dinner, honouring our original reservation, I recommended we eat light. As it turned out, the lunch menu came with soup! And a salad! And an apple! Later eating was immediately forgotten. We were living in the now -and what a delicious now. The food was great. We both had duck, rice and various whatevers that you get with Thai food. I left a 5 star review on Google. Another Vienna food success story.

Jelena’s meal at Thai Kitchen

Today was not a day to be spent outside. We had learned that lesson the hard way. We dropped by home shortly to pick up some things before setting out to Cafe Tirolerhof. As is typical of a Viennese cafe, we hung around there for a few hours, without any pressure or inclination to move on. Jelena had read they had good Kaiserschmarrn and I did not need to be convinced to eat a sugary pastry. Yum! I also typed out a post on the developer blog about eating your own dog food. It’s not what you think: it has nothing to do with actual dog food or any food at all. It’s a term that refers to your company using its own products.

I can definitely recommend this cafe. It’s cozy. It has good food. There’s free WiFi to steal from some neighbouring place. What more could you want?

Zu den 3 Buchteln

With another successful eating experience behind us, it was time to pay the bill and move on to the next gorging opportunity. At long last, we could go to the long awaited Zu den 3 Buchteln, having failed already twice to eat there. We took the metro to avoid the cold and walked quickly to our destination. Stepping through the door and into the completely empty restaurant, we instantly knew we had made a good choice.

You know those restaurants that feel homely and not commercial? This was the kind of place making the kind of food you imagine a little Austrian grandmother makes. Actually, there was just one (older) woman there, cooking, taking the orders, and giving you the bill. When we tried to eat there on Saturday, there was that same woman and one other. Definitely a small time place.

I ordered some kind of breaded pierogies with smoked duck and cabbage, over beluga lentils. Jelena had “Fleischtascherl”, which were some sort of pierogi or Maultaschen sort of thing. It was all excellent; though, I liked mine better. We also tried the much awaited Buchteln, which I didn’t really care for in the end. Jelena quite enjoyed them. All in all, another really great food experience. Let’s keep it up!

Tomorrow, we plan to try the supposed best Schnitzel in town. It’s not a Wiener Schnitzel (from veal) but it’s supposed to be very large and very tasty. Worst case scenario: I’ll eat two Schnitzels this week.